We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jillian Warman. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Jillian, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: When was the last time you felt true joy?
I’m a joyful person. I can find something good in nearly every situation. But I believe the greatest joy we will ever experience in life is when we help someone else. There was a situation recently that brought me indescribable joy and it involved me, a stranger, and a pair of blue shoes. I was driving around and saw a man walking down the sidewalk on a busy street. What particularly caught my attention was that he wasn’t wearing clothes. He only had a cloth tied around him and it was partially torn. I could tell he felt so embarrassed for not being properly covered but he didn’t know what to do. Immediately Matthew 25:36 came to my mind in which Jesus points out that when we provide clothes for someone in need of them, it’s as if we’re doing it for Jesus. So I went to a store nearby and picked out some clothes for him. As I was walking past the shoe section, I felt God nudging me to get him a particular pair of blue tennis shoes. So I got the shoes and the clothes and headed out to find the man. I drove back to where he had been, but he was nowhere to be found. After praying and driving around several side streets, I finally spotted him in a parking lot. So I parked my car, walked over to him, and gave him the bag with the clothes and blue tennis shoes. He had the sweetest eyes and kept saying “thank you, love!” After we spoke, I got back in my car to drive away, but before I left, I saw him pull the blue tennis shoes out of the bag. He gazed at them like a child opening their presents on Christmas morning; it was evident that the shoes connected to a good memory for him. My heart nearly exploded with joy knowing that this man felt seen, valued, and most importantly, loved. I truly believe that the truest, purest form of joy only comes from helping others. Nothing compares to loving and loving on our neighbor.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
If I could describe myself and my life in one word, it would be “musical”. I wear a lot of hats, but they’re all music-related. I own/operate an online music school, JW Lessons, LLC, so my days consist of teaching voice and multiple instruments to students of all ages. When I’m not teaching, I’m either leading worship across San Antonio and Austin, performing all kinds of freelance music gigs, or in Nashville writing and recording my original music. I’m grateful to be able to make a living through music; it’s my passion and has been since the first time my fingers discovered piano keys when I was 5. But the purpose for which I make music is what I want to emphasize. Although I love helping others learn how to sing and play instruments and making music on a stage has always brought me tremendous joy, I teach, play, and write music for the sole purpose of bringing people hope. I truly believe hope is the antidote for so many of the trials we walk through. Proverbs 13:12 puts it this way: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” In other words, without hope, we struggle, but with hope, we thrive. If a class I teach, a song I sing or play in worship, or a song I write brings hope to someone, I have done what I set out to do. Music is my vocation, but bringing people hope is my purpose.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I’ve always been an extrovert. Once I started talking, I never stopped and then talking led to singing and…you get the point. But just being an extrovert doesn’t mean you necessarily know how to use it. Thankfully, I have a mom who taught me a very important lesson about the power and impact that can come from being an extrovert. When I was in 5th grade, I was at a swimming competition (yes, I swam competitively for many years!) and hanging out with my usual friend group. But my mom noticed something I didn’t: a new, very shy girl who wasn’t hanging out with anyone and was feeling a little lost. My mom came over to me and said, “Do you see that girl over there? I want you to be kind to her and make her feel like family.” 10 year old me responded with, “Mom, can’t I just keep hanging out with my friends?” But my mom insisted. She told me that being kind means reaching out to the one who’s alone, being a friend to the one who needs one. So I went over to the girl sitting alone on the bleachers and I did what I love to do: I made her laugh. Soon we were walking around the pool chatting it up and we both had a new friend in each other. Through that situation, I realized the power of kindness, the power of friendship, and the intrinsic power each one of us has to make someone else feel seen, valued, and loved. Loving others is our superpower.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
We all have scars. If there was an infrared scanner that could detect present or past emotional bruises, we’d all prove to be black and blue. While I don’t believe any scars define who we are, I have walked through painful seasons that felt defining at the time, but in their own way, positively shaped my life moving forward. The most wounded I’ve ever felt was when my engagement ended. I had so many hopes and dreams for the future and suddenly, I was crying on the way to the bridal shop to return my dress and giving the ring back to the person I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. I’ve never felt so irrevocably broken. Although it took me a while to feel whole again, I’m grateful I went through what I went through. Because when a friend of mine called me up shattered because of her recent breakup or another friend cried on my shoulder because of the divorce she never saw coming, I felt an empathy and depth of understanding I never would’ve known had I not gone through what I went through. At this point, I’ve lost count of how often my story has brought hope to others experiencing something similar. If my wounds have brought hope to anyone, then I’m thankful for each and every scar they’ve left behind.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
Growing up, I put tremendous pressure on myself to be perfect; I believed that success was the goal and that mistakes were always negative. When I made mistakes, I’d beat myself up about it for weeks; my spiraling thoughts and anxiety over a mistake could become overwhelming. But through prayer and wise counsel, I finally realized that perfection is not only impossible–it’s also empty. Not making mistakes isn’t necessarily success and making mistakes isn’t necessarily failure. There are things we learn from falling down that we’d never know if we never fell. And there is a compassion that grows within us when we acknowledge the mistakes we’ve made and proudly wear our scars. I spent too many years finding fault with myself instead of appreciating my beautiful, unique flaws. I’m perfectly imperfect and my scars remind me that difficult beginnings often lead to beautiful destinations.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I’ve often thought about what people might say at my funeral. Would they say I had great shoes? Would they bring up a time I made them laugh? Would they bring up my love for donuts? All are probable. But I hope the story people tell is simple: She loved God and loved people. I want my life to tell a story of love, acceptance, hope, and kindness. Hopefully people have better things to do than talk about me after I’m gone, but if they do, I pray they talk about a woman who loved God and people so much that it fueled every part of her life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jwlessons.online
- Instagram: jillianwarmanmusic
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@jillianwarmanmusic
www.jillianwarman.com
Image Credits
Michael Diamante
